As some countries, including the UK, prepare for the release of Gladiator 2 this weekend ahead of its North American debut next week, we’re learning more and more behind-the-scenes tidbits from the biggest actors in the long-awaited sequel. Perhaps the most talkative so far has been Denzel Washington, who a few days ago said he would be a part of Black Panther 3.
Now while interview with Gayetythe veteran actor confirmed that he kissed a man in the film, but this scene (at least in its original form) was not accepted.
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“I actually kissed a man in the video, but they took it out, cut it off, I think they got chicken… I kissed a guy on the lips and I guess they weren’t ready for it yet. I killed him about five minutes later. He’s a Gladiator. It’s the kiss of death,” the actor responded to a question about queerness in the Roman Empire, as the script reportedly emphasized several times that Macrinus was in relationships with other men.
With a running time of 148 minutes, it’s not like the studio was trying to make the historical epic as miniature as possible, but you know how it happens in mainstream films that need to appeal to as many viewers as possible. Either way, he seems elated with the experience, and reviews have praised his performance as one of the best parts of the sequel, which is currently on 76% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Washington has also mentioned in the past that he’s looking for the right filmmakers to work with at this point in his career, so reuniting with Ridley Scott after 2007’s American Gangster made sense for him. “I have to draw inspiration from the filmmaker, and I was incredibly inspired by Ridley… We had a great time the first time and here we are. He is engaged. He is excited about life and his next film. we should all want to feel that way at 86.” he told Empire magazine earlier this year.
“I don’t know how many more films I will make. There are probably not that many. I want to do things I haven’t done before,” actor also revealed to Australia’s TODAY a few days ago. This might explain why there’s a Black Panther trio floating around that hasn’t been officially announced yet.
Incidentally, Scott is already mulling over ideas for a third Gladiator if the studio is willing to foot the bill after solid theatrical performances from the second. Will you be catching it in the coming weeks?
